132: Prizes from the Alchemy Competition!

"Junior Martial Brother."

Li Miaoer leaned in and lowered her voice, an excited glint in her feline eyes.

"That move just now was so cool! Senior Sister will give you a hug!"

"We're in public; Senior Sister, you should mind your image a bit!"

Lu Yu glanced at her.

"Tsk, stingy!"

Li Miaoer curled her lip, but then her eyes lit up again.

"What pill do you think we'll refine in the second round? Will it be hard? I see the people from the Pill Tower all have stiff expressions."

"What's the rush? We'll find out in a moment."

Lu Yu took a sip of tea, his expression relaxed.

He was actually waiting as well.

The look he had exchanged with Xiao Yan earlier—the hostility in Xiao Yan's eyes had almost solidified. This guy, with the grudge of his fire being snatched plus being publicly suppressed, was likely fuming.

Just as he was thinking this, there was movement on the high platform.

Yan Mo stood up. Today, he wore a dark red robe embroidered with gold patterns. Under the reflection of the firelight, his hair and beard were both crimson, exuding an air of natural authority.

As soon as he raised his hand, the noisy chatter in the square quickly died down.

"The time has come."

Yan Mo's voice was deep and resonant, reaching every corner.

"The hundred young talents of the Dao of Alchemy who have advanced, please return to your positions."

*Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—*

A hundred figures swept out from the spectator seats or rest areas, landing back in their respective Alchemy zones in the center of the square.

The light barriers rose once more, isolating the interior from the exterior.

Lu Yu set down his teacup, smiled at Liu Yunshu, and also stood up to walk over.

As he passed by Lin Xiaoyou, his Sixth Senior Sister was slowly pulling a palm-sized jade Pill Furnace out of her Storage Pouch.

Indeed, it was the most basic model used by apprentices for practice. Compared to the shimmering, mist-shrouded, and imposing Pill Furnaces that those around her were summoning, it was eye-catchingly shabby.

Sensing Lu Yu's gaze, she looked up. Her plain face showed no expression; she simply nodded and then went back to tinkering with her small Pill Furnace, as if all the surrounding clamor had nothing to do with her.

Lu Yu found it amusing; this shut-in Senior Sister really was just here to join in the fun.

She had no yearning for fame or fortune, nor any desire to become famous. She had a completely shut-in personality, indifferent to worldly desires. If the Alchemy Convention hadn't happened to be in an area she was interested in, she certainly wouldn't have come out.

Once everyone was settled, Yan Mo looked around and continued, "The second round is titled 'Determining the Formula and Forming the Pill'!"

"What does 'Determining the Formula' mean?"

He paused and explained, "It means that given the core main ingredients and a restricted range of pill types and grades, you must deduce and complete the full Pill Formula yourselves, and successfully refine it on the spot!"

As soon as he said this, many contestants' expressions changed.

Deducing a Pill Formula on one's own!

This was more than just a level harder than refining a pill according to an existing formula!

It not only required a profound understanding of medicinal ingredients and pharmacology but also strong deductive and calculative abilities, testing one's grasp of medicinal power balance and the roles of 'monarch, minister, assistant, and envoy.'

One careless mistake could lead to failure at best, or a furnace explosion that could injure oneself at worst.

"Quiet."

Yan Mo made a pressing gesture with his hand.

"The rules are as follows:"

"First, three core main ingredients will be provided this round, corresponding to three pill types: healing, realm-breaking, and special effects. You may choose any one of them."

"Second, the quality of the refined pill must be above the fourth-grade 'Pure' quality. (Pill qualities: Inferior, Common, Fine, Pure, Perfect, Pill Veins)."

"Third, the time limit is three shichen (six hours). Within three shichen, you must complete the entire process of formula deduction, ingredient purification, and Fusion into a pill."

"Fourth, the final comprehensive evaluation will be based on the pill's quality, the integrity of its effects, and the rationality of the deduction process."

"Fifth..."

Yan Mo's gaze swept over the hundred people below, pausing for a brief moment particularly on Lu Yu, Xiao Yan, Yan Linger, and a few others.

"To prevent anyone from preparing in advance, the chosen core main ingredients and their corresponding pill types will be announced on the spot after the drawing of lots!"

Now, even some of the originally confident prodigies frowned.

Completely unknown core ingredients, deducing a formula on the fly, and having to refine a fifth or sixth-grade pill... this level of difficulty was practically perverted.

Many who had originally harbored thoughts of luck, hoping to scrape by with a familiar formula, were already starting to feel apprehensive.

"Of course."

Yan Mo shifted his tone, his voice rising slightly.

"Since it is a challenge, the rewards are naturally even more generous!"

With a broad wave of his hand, the image on the light screen above the square changed, and ten lines of golden text appeared one by one, accompanied by his loud explanation:

"For this Alchemy Convention, the prizes for tenth to fourth place: any one seventh-grade Pill Formula of your choice, and ten thousand Top-Grade Spirit Stones!"

As soon as the rewards for the top seven were announced, a low gasp rippled through the crowd.

A seventh-grade Pill Formula!

Those were rare formulas capable of refining pills effective even for Body Integration Stage Cultivators. Every Sect and faction kept them tightly guarded, yet here, one could choose freely! It was a tangible benefit.

But that wasn't all.

Yan Mo continued to read: "Third place! Prize: The eighth-grade Pill Formula for the Purple Heart Barrier-Breaking Pill, used to assist in breaking through the Bottleneck of Undergoing Tribulation, plus a portion of Earth Core Fire Essence. This item can enhance the power of fire-attribute divine abilities or be used to nurture Exotic Fires!"

"Second place! Prize: A top-tier eighth-grade Pill Formula: the Nine-Revolution Soul-Returning Pill. This is a miraculous life-saving pill with some miraculous healing effects even for the damaged Divine Souls of Mahayana Stage Cultivators, plus an Earth-grade Exotic Fire—the Azure Mist Wind Flame!"

"First place!"

Yan Mo's voice suddenly rose, carrying a scorching aura.

"Prize: A simplified formula for an ancient Immortal Pill—the Nirvana Rebirth Pill, at the ninth grade! Even if a Mahayana Stage powerhouse has only one breath left, as long as they consume this pill, they can be saved!"

"In addition, there is a heavenly grade Exotic Fire—the Azure Nether Separation Fire! This Exotic Fire simultaneously contains the powerful might of both fire and ice attributes, providing immense help to both fire-attribute and ice-attribute Cultivators!"

Whoosh—!

The entire square completely erupted!

A ninth-grade Pill Formula! A heavenly grade Exotic Fire!

Not to mention the younger generation, even many Sect Elders and Family seniors in the spectator seats had eyes turning red with greed, their breathing becoming heavy.

Especially that Azure Nether Separation Fire... to possess two powerful attributes simultaneously was truly rare!

It seemed that the Fentian Sacred Valley had offered such generous rewards for first place because they had immense confidence in their Saintess, Yan Linger!

They could also guess that the reason the Alchemy Convention was held before the Saintess Ceremony was to build momentum for Yan Linger's ceremony!

As long as Yan Linger took first place in this young generation's Alchemy Convention, her abilities would stand out among her peers, letting other forces know the strength of the Fentian Sacred Valley!

Below the stage, Xiao Yan's fists clenched until they creaked, his nails digging deep into his palms.

The Azure Nether Separation Fire... a Heaven Rank Exotic Fire!

If he could obtain it and refine it using the Cultivation Technique his teacher taught him that allowed for the Fusion of Exotic Fires, then merge it with the "Purple Abyss Earth Core Fire" his teacher had helped him obtain...

Both his own strength and his Alchemy level would surely skyrocket!

And that simplified Immortal Grade formula—he was even more determined to get it! That was an Opportunity that originally belonged to him!